Nov 2016 from around the state CONSTRUCTION SEASON HIGHLIGHTS DISTRICT 6 s NORTH SIDE FIX PHOTO BY BREANNA BADANES 2016 pg 4
ASK THE DIRECTOR I recently read that the was called the largest project in ODOT s history during its September dedication. However, I also recall reading that the Southern Ohio Veteran s Memorial Highway in Scioto County was called the largest project in the department s history when construction began last year. Which project is the largest? AWARD WINNERS Technically speaking, the cost $566 million. The bridge is actually two bridges and is part of Interstate 90 in downtown Cleveland. The bridges cross the Cuyahoga River, replacing a single bridge that opened in 1959. However, in order to tear down the old Inner-belt Bridge, we bid the new bridges separately. The Southern Ohio Veterans Memorial Highway was bid as a single project in 2015. The cost was about $435 million. At the opening of the eastbound in November 2013, Governor Voinovich and his wife were there to help us cut the ribbon. As a former member of his cabinet when he served as Governor, I was glad he got to see the first bridge completed before he passed away this year unexpectedly. Governor Voinovich dedicated over 40 years of his life to public service, and I think naming these bridges after him was a wonderful idea. He served ten years as Cleveland Mayor, eight years as Ohio Governor and twelve years as a U.S. Senator from Ohio. Frustration: The father of invention Rhonda Pees, District 1 Rhonda Pees, District 1 S imply put, Travis Avery and Keith Bantner in District 1 had had it! A mechanic and machinist, respectively, they were tired of having to repeatedly fabricate hitches to enable trucks to latch onto the chipper box in chip seal operations. Trucks come equipped with a standard hitch which did not work in these operations. Improvising substitutes from scratch had become a common practice, with each hitch different according to the truck. Making them for every truck took two days. It had been going on for decades. Enough, already! Fortunately, frustration with a process can sometimes be enough to make you find a better way. In this case, the two co-workers used some innovative thinking to design and fabricate a universal connector, dubbed the Buckeye Hitch, to make this problem a thing of the past. Already experienced at creating such connectors, they decided to alter the design so an operator can easily unbolt the standard hitch, slide it out, and replace it with the new hitch. The swap can be done in minutes, and makes every ODOT dump truck easily adaptable for chip seal operations. The Chillicothe Correctional Institution, where ODOT s trucks are fabricated, has agreed to produce the hitches for District 1 and any district on request. PHOTO BY RHONDA PEES, DISTRICT 1 Keith Bantner (left), District 1 machinist, and Travis Avery, district garage mechanic, designed and fabricated the Buckeye Hitch, used in chip seal operations, that earned them the team innovation category award at this year s TeamUp ODOT. District 1 chip seals up to 200 lane-miles per year, the most of any district. Excellence in Government 2 Transcript, Nov 2016 Transcript, Nov 2016 3
2016 Construction Season Highlights This construction season saw the completion of many vital projects. Here, we offer some of ODOT s 2016 milestones. Jeff Place and Brant Engle, District 1 roadway services, installing the gear logos to accompany the Real American Strength theme as part of I-75 corridor. District 3 wrapped up a $14.2 million project upgrading signals and signs, adding sidewalks, turn lanes, and improving safety along U.S. Route 250 in Erie County. The heavily traveled corridor connects tourists to popular attractions such as Cedar Point and the Lake Erie islands. PHOTO BY KAITLYN MAYNARD, DISTRICT 3 District 4 The I-271 project in northern Summit County, widening the heavily traveled roadway between SR 8 and the Cuyahoga County line, was completed in October. The $44.5 million project also included work on four bridges. PHOTO BY BRIAND DELL, DISTRICT 4 District 1 The Interstate 75 corridor through Allen county and the city of Lima was completed in late September. The project reconstructed over 9 miles of the existing lanes of I-75, plus extensive safety upgrades and aesthetic improvements. PHOTO BY RHONDA PEES, DISTRICT 1 District 5 The $31.6 million Cherry Valley Interchange project will improve capacity, traffic flow, safety and connections between state and local routes in the area. Expected to be open to traffic by Thanksgiving, the entire project is scheduled for completion by July 2017. PHOTO BY ODOT AERIAL ENGINEERING District 6 The $78 million North Side Fix project is complete. It includes the first-of-its-kind trench that carries two lanes of northbound traffic on US 23 under the surface to bypass two signalized intersections, improving northbound traffic flow. District 2 The I-75/475 interchange in Perrysburg, the second systems interchange on the metro-toledo interstate system to undergo major safety improvements, reopened two ramps in September. PHOTO BY REBECCA SHIRLING, DISTRICT 2 PHOTO BY BREANNA BADANES, DISTRICT 6 District 7 The three-phase I-75 Modernization project began more than a decade ago to enhance the interstate s capacity, improve pavement, upgrade bridges and enhance safety. Phase 3 wrapped up this year under budget and ahead of schedule. PHOTO COURTESY OF WHIO TV District 8 The $88 million Jeremiah Morrow Bridge replacement project is substantially complete. Remaining work includes demolishing the southbound bridge over the Little Miami River, removing an old southbound roadway, and final paving of new southbound lanes. PHOTO BY MATT BRUNING, CENTRAL OFFICE continued on page 7 4 Transcript, Nov 2016 Transcript, Nov 2016 5
ICE FREE IN 3 Justin Chesnic, District 4 2016 Construction Season Highlights, cont. IF YOU THINK YOU HATE SLIPPERY STEPS in the winter, think about how snowplow drivers feel: An icy coating building up on the metal step of your cab, thickening as you work a late shift, making each vehicle exit or entry an exercise in tricky maneuvering. A slip and fall is just one misstep away. Not so in Ashtabula County, where mechanics have created a heated truck cab step to improve safety for their drivers. Increasing safety is a top concern for all of us at the district, said Highway Management Administrator Bob Pallo. This simple modification helps to reduce the risk of slips and falls when exiting a truck. A heat exchanger, connected by hose to the engine, is added to the bottom of the step. No, drug abuse is not an issue of transportation; it s a public health epidemic, here and across the nation. And whether directly related to our mission or not, it is something all citizens can help combat. Governor John Kasich has kicked off a new drug abuse prevention initiative in Ohio, and he is asking everyone in and out of state service to help reduce the likelihood of youth drug use before it even starts. The Start Talking! initiative is inspired by research that shows youth are up to 50 percent less likely to use drugs when parents and adults talk with them about it. In 2011, drug overdoses were the leading cause of accidental deaths in the state, with one Ohioan dying from a drug overdose every five hours. Start Talking pulls together different programs designed to provide methods for helping parents, youths and other adults. These tools include providing instructions on how to talk to your kids about drug use, organizing community discussions, and encouraging positive lifestyle choices. We re making real progress in fighting prescription drug abuse in Ohio, because we made up our minds to fight the problem head on, said Gov. Kasich, but we still have more work to do because illicit drug abuse remains a huge problem in our state.... It s a tough problem that calls for an even tougher fight. But it s a fight we must win, because our future our children are at stake. For more information about Start Talking and how to get involved, visit StartTalking.Ohio.Gov. District 11 The $4.3 million safety project on U.S. Route 62 through Berlin Township in Holmes County enhanced access to this major Ohio tourist attraction. Completed in September, the project improved the one-half mile of Main Street by widening the roadway and sidewalks, improving the storm sewer system and adding safety upgrades. PHOTO BY DAN NIESE, DISTRICT 11 ODOT is Ready for Winter District 12 Six years in the making, the George V. Voinovich Bridge a pair of bridges replacing the 1950s-era, single-span Innerbelt Bridge was completed in September, opening its eastbound lanes to traffic with fanfare. The Voinovich family cut a ceremonial ribbon on Sept. 24 and traffic was traveling on the new bridge that evening! PHOTO BY AMANDA MCFARLAND, DISTRICT 12 ODOT has a technology council? Pieter Wykoff, Central Office Engine coolant circulates through the hose and exchanger, warming the step and melting any ice. Testing thus far shows great results in melting accumulations of ice and snow. PHOTOS BY FRANKLIN HOWELL, DISTRICT 4 6 Transcript, Nov 2016 ESTABLISHED IN 2014, ODOT S 11-member Technology Council evaluates and recommends investments in tech that will increase the department s effectiveness. They also manage the performance of ODOT s technology program. The Technology Council is a crossfunctional representation of ODOT, said Missy Anverse, the administrator of the Division of Information Technology s Office of Project Management. It s not just IT professionals: There are no voting members on the council from Central Office DoIT. The current goal is to create a fiveyear technology plan for the department, updating that plan annually. The council reviews and approves requests for new IT projects, and any new IT hardware or software. Robin Traxler, the Technology Council liaison, works to build a bridge between the Council, IT, and business users requesting a new technology. Whenever possible we are looking for one solution that fits the needs of many, she says. Recently, Director Jerry Wray and the ODOT Governance Board announced three new members to this group: District 10 Construction Administrator Cary Betzing; Infrastructure Specialist with CADD and Mapping Services Jack Kerstetter; and Wayne County Garage Manager Matt Walter. The council meets monthly.
Small tablets equal big savings Breanna Badanes, District 6 Times are changing for Highway Technician Tony Lewis. Gone are the days of his truck overflowing with stacks upon stacks upon stacks of paper documents for a project like the I-270/US 33 interchange reconstruction in Dublin. For the last two months he has been using an LG Android tablet on the project site; whether he s referring to ODOT specs, CAD drawings or maintenance of traffic notes, Lewis can access it all on the go. I ve got all the plans downloaded onto that tablet so in my truck, I don t have to carry around every last one of the plans, said Lewis. It saves a lot of time and paper. With 86 projects and counting, District 6 is testing a plan is to provide all project inspectors with a mobile device. This will allow them to answer contractor questions on site, instead of traveling back to their offices for answers. The tablets allow them to quickly research topics and better identify problems. It is also easier to document dayto-day activities and create reports. District 6 has a total of 24 devices deployed, with more coming. It s a great way to use today s technology to create a truly mobile workforce. It allows our field workers to spend more time where they re supposed to be: in the field, said District 6 Network Administrator Jill Jones. District 6 Highway Tech Tony Lewis uses his tablet on the job site at the 270/33 interchange reconstruction project in Dublin. PHOTO BY SAVANNA DAILY, DISTRICT 6 Erica Hawkins Deputy Director, Division of Communications Ron Poole Managing Editor Michael Stout Design Editor Joel Hunt Contributing Editor David Rose Contributing Editor www.transportation.ohio.gov www.ohgo.com OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 1980 W. BROAD ST. COLUMBUS, OHIO 43223 Phone: 614-466-7170 Fax: 614-644-8662 John R. Kasich, Governor Jerry Wray, Director ODOT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER and PROVIDER OF SERVICES 8 Transcript, Nov 2016